This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Episodic memory[unreadable]memory for individual events[unreadable]permits an organism to bridge the past with the present, providing information about prior events that serves to inform present decisions and action. Episodic memory critically depends on the medial temporal lobe (MTL) circuit, which is composed of multiple structures, including the hippocampal formation [dentate gyrus (DG), CA fields, and subiculum (SUB)] and the surrounding entorhinal (ERc), perirhinal (PRc), and parahippocampal (PHc) cortices. Though decades of research have aimed to characterize the role of MTL in episodic memory, fundamental questions remain regarding the functional contributions of specific MTL substructures. Recent advances in functional imaging methods have made it possible to address these questions in humans. Our research uses high-resolution fMRI to delineate the role of hippocampal subfields and MTL cortical structures in the encoding and retrieval of episodic memories. The experiments test anatomically-informed theory-driven hypotheses regarding the nature of episodic memory and its dependence on MTL function. The research further examines optimal learning parameters to promote the flexible, generative use of episodic memory, and the potential impact of motivational salience and attention on episodic memory processing and MTL function.